Needles, condoms and asbestos found at Wellington beach

Petone Beach Clean-up Crew have found increasing numbers of hypodermic needles on the beach. Photo / Supplied

A Petone woman has sworn off swimming in the area because of an influx of needles being discarded at the beach.

Beachgoers in Petone have found used condoms, nappies and needles at the popular swimming spot.

Plogging (picking up litter whilst jogging) in Petone founder Michelle Stronach-Marsh said she's stopped swimming at the shore and won't go for a dip unless safety measures are put in place.

Stronach-Marsh said at times over summer she was finding discarded needles daily.
And she fears it's increasing.

"I found several needles in the same location weekly near a popular swimming spot at the beach."

Stronach-Marsh said better waste management and a waste education programme were needed.

Petone Beach Clean-up Crew organiser Lorraine Shaab, left, and Plogging in Petone founder Michelle Stronarch-Marsh. Photo / Katie Harris

She said although it may be alarming to some people she thought having a sharps box to dispose of needles at the beach was necessary.

Stronach-Marsh is not the only one concerned about the rubbish, Petone Beach Clean-up Crew co-ordinator Lorraine Shaab said it's an epidemic.

"When we started it would be normal to find one hypodermic needle, but two years on we found four a month ago and on Sunday we found three," Shaab said.

She said they were often hidden in driftwood with the needle exposed.

The pair hadn't made any specific complaints to the council about the needles, but had called for better waste management at the beach.

Alongside needles, the anti-litter advocates said the major issues were businesses not covering loads, fast food wrappers and blown-away recycling.

A spokesperson from the Hutt City Council said although they often aren't notified when needles were found there hadn't been any recent reports, with the exception of a needleless syringe found in the Library carpark.

The council advises contractors to check bins at the beach three times a day seven days a week.

Contractors also hand pick rubbish along the beach twice a week.

A Capital and Coast District Health Board spokesperson said people who come across needles should contact their local council or the New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme for collection.

And if someone accidentally injures themselves with a used needle they should see their GP as soon as possible.

The Hutt City Council is working on a strategic review of waste management, with the outcomes expected to be put to the community in early 2020.

Stronach-Marsh said with the quantity of needles being found only increasing, making a change can't wait any longer.